Bangers and Mash - British comfort food at its finest! Quality thick sausages, mashed potatoes, green vegetables, doused in an onion gravy. This is a quick and easy dinner that's perfect for a weeknight meal.
The Brits sure do have some funny names for some of their dishes; sausages & gravy is also known as "Bangers and Mash" because during the first world war the sausages were made with such a high water content that they popped when cooked under high heat with a bang!
According to Wikipedia, Bangers and Mash was voted Britain's most popular comfort food in 2009, along with fish and chips, baked beans on toast and chocolate cake.
The onion gravy is what makes this meal - simply made with onions and stock and some sugar and vinegar - it ties the mash and vegetables together with the meat. Whenever I make this, people are always going back for more!
Finally, just to be a little different, rather than the plain old mash you've had thousands of times, I've made champ - this is an Irish potato dish made with scallions/green onions. Of course, you can make a regular mash if you'd prefer, but this gets a little more green vegetables into your day 🙂
Ingredients for bangers and mash
You can't have sausages and gravy / bangers and mash without a good quality sausage. You can use any flavour you like, but you can't beat a thick pork sausage. You want a sausage that doesn't have fillers added; check the ingredients or with your butcher. As a rule of thumb, the higher priced sausages will be better quality.
I like using a mixture of greens to serve; for example broccolini, peas & beans, with a little wholegrain mustard on the side.
For the homemade gravy
Onions - any variety you want to use; halve them and slice them pole to pole, rather than across the onion which will stop them disintegrating in the gravy.
Stock (or beer!) - beef or chicken stock works best, but use whichever stock you prefer. Stock powder and cubes are fine. I like to use half beer, half stock.
Cornflour to make a slurry to thicken the gravy.
For the champ
Champ is an Irish mashed potato recipe made with scallions/green onions. You can make regular mash if you'd prefer.
- Potatoes - see tips below for the best potato varieties to use - cut into large chunks.
- Scallions/green onions - sliced about 5mm (3/16") apart.
- Milk - full fat.
- Butter
- Salt and pepper
How to make bangers and mash with homemade onion gravy
Cook sausages - heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the oil and then add the sausages (1). Turn regularly to make sure they don't burn and to brown all over (2). Time will depend on sausage thickness.
Start champ/mash - add the potatoes to a large pot and cover with water (1). Bring to the boil, and cook, covered, for 15-20 minutes until tender - when they're cooked, drain and allow to steam dry for a few minutes before adding back to the pan and placing the lid on them to keep them warm (2). Proceed to the next step after you drain the potatoes.
Remove sausages - when the sausages are cooked through, place them on a plate and cover with aluminium foil to keep warm. Keep any fat in the bottom of the pan.
Cook onions - return the skillet to the stove and lower heat to medium. Add the onions (1) to the skillet the sausages were cooked in - there should be a few tablespoons of fat in there from the sausages; add a little more oil if needed. Cook, stirring regularly, for about 10 minutes. You don't want to burn the onions so if they start to colour lower the heat. You're aiming for the onions to be translucent and slightly caramelised (2). While the onions are cooking, proceed to the next step.
Warm milk and melt butter - add the sliced scallions, milk and butter to a pot (1). Heat over medium-low heat until the butter melts and the milk is warm but not boiling. Look for steam rising from the milk and small bubbles forming around the edges (2). Remove from heat and keep a lid on the pot to keep warm and to allow the scallions to infuse into the milk.
Add stock - add the stock to the onions when the onions are cooked. Use your spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any stuck on fond.
Make cornflour slurry by combining the cornflour and water in a small bowl. Stir the slurry well.
Finish gravy - pour the cornflour slurry into the onions while you're stirring them (1). Increase heat to high and continue to stir until the gravy begins to boil, which will cause the cornflour to thicken the gravy (2). Reduce heat to low, and add the cider vinegar and sugar. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Place the sausages back in the pan (3) with the gravy and add a lid if you have one; stir the gravy and flip the sausages occasionally.
Finish champ - using a potato ricer or potato masher, mash the potatoes (1). Add the milk, butter and scallions (2) and stir well to combine (3). Season with salt and pepper.
Serve with the champ, sausages on top and steamed vegetables to the side; smother with the onion gravy.
Tips for the best bangers and mash
- Cover the sausages in aluminium foil to keep warm while you make the gravy. Add any resting juices back to the pan when you add the stock.
- When cooking the sausages, I like to add a tablespoon or so of oil to the skillet, then add water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the sausages. Let the water boil off, turning the sausages halfway through. By the time the water evaporates and you brown the sausages, they should be ready.
- Make sure you choose the right potato varieties - see above or in the recipe card - and make sure you don't overcook them as they'll get waterlogged.
- Watch the heat when cooking your onions - don't rush it, because they'll burn.
What sausage varieties to use?
Use your favourite sausage! Thick or thin, it doesn't matter...
Personally though, I like thick pork sausages. I always buy my sausages from a butcher, because I'm not a fan of supermarket sausages in Australia, but do what works for you.
You'll need 1-2 thick sausages or 2-3 thin sausages for an average adult.
Use the best quality sausages you can afford.
Which potato varieties to use for the best mash?
For the best mashed potatoes, use high-starch, floury variety because it'll break down easily during cooking, resulting in a fluffy and creamy texture. Avoid waxy potatoes because they don't mash well.
Australia:
- Sebago
- King Edward
- Kennebec - fallback, but it's widely available.
USA:
- Russet/Idaho
- Yukon Gold
UK:
- Maris Piper
- King Edward
Make ahead, reheating and freezing sausages and gravy
Bangers and Mash is easily made ahead and reheated, or frozen.
I use cornflour in the gravy, so if reheating the gravy separately, do so gently and stir regularly to keep the best gravy consistency.
For this dish, I think reheating in the microwave works best.
You can freeze a complete meal for 2-3 months - perfect for nights when you can't be bothered cooking.
Add your own touch
- Try your own combinations of vegetables.
- Replace the champ with regular mash or colcannon (mash with cabbage). Or, you could go rogue and serve rice or another grain!
- Try making it with different sausage varieties.
Bangers and Mash
| Prep | Cook | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 10 mins | 20 mins | 30 mins |
- 1 tbsp oil, for frying or a knob of butter
- 8 thick pork sausages best quality you can afford, see note 1
- 4 onions, halved and sliced
- 500ml stock chicken or beef works best, see note 2
- 2 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 1kg mashing potatoes, peeled and cut into equal size chunks see note 3
- 3 scallions, finely sliced or more to taste
- 70g butter or more to taste
- 150ml milk approximate amount, you might need a little more
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Wholegrain mustard
- Steamed greens peas, beans, broccolini, etc
- Cook sausages - heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the oil or butter and then add the sausages. Turn regularly to make sure they don't burn and to brown all over. Time will depend on sausage thickness.
- Start champ/mash - add the potatoes to a large pot and cover with water. Bring to the boil, and cook, covered, for 15-20 minutes until tender - when they're cooked, drain them and allow to steam dry for a few minutes before adding back to the pan and placing the lid on it to keep them warm.
- Remove sausages - when the sausages are cooked through, remove them to a plate and cover with aluminium foil to keep warm. Keep any fat in the bottom of the pan.
- Cook onions - return the skillet the sausages were cooked in and lower heat to medium. Add the onions to the skillet the sausages were cooked in - there should be a few tablespoons of fat in there from the sausages; add a little more oil if needed. Cook, stirring regularly, for about 10 minutes. You don't want to burn the onions so if they start to colour lower the heat. You're aiming for the onions to be translucent and slightly caramelised. While the onions are cooking, proceed to the next step.
- Warm milk and melt butter - add the sliced scallions, milk and butter to a pot. Heat over medium-low heat until the butter melts and the milk is warm but not boiling. Look for steam rising from the milk and small bubbles forming around the edges. Remove from heat and keep a lid on the pot to keep warm and to allow the scallions to infuse into the milk.
- Add stock - add the stock to the onions when the onions are cooked. Use your spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any stuck on fond.
- Make cornflour slurry by combining the cornflour and water in a small bowl. Stir the slurry well.
- Finish gravy - pour the cornflour slurry into the onions while you're stirring them. Increase heat to high and continue to stir until the gravy begins to boil, which will cause the cornflour to thicken the gravy. Reduce heat to low, and add the cider vinegar and sugar. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Place the sausages back in the pan with the gravy and add a lid if you have one; stir the gravy and flip the sausages occasionally.
- Finish champ - using a potato ricer or potato masher, mash the potatoes. Add the milk, butter and scallions and stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve with the champ, sausages on top and steamed vegetables to the side; smother with the onion gravy.
- Sausages - count on 1-2 thick sausages per adult, or 2-3 thin ones. Use the best quality you can find. I like plain pork for this recipe, but use another variety if you prefer.
- Stock - use chicken or beef stock. I've also made this with half beer and half stock, and I like it. You can also use stock powder or cubes if needed. Salt reduced stock is always best to use because it gives you better control over the seasoning.
- Potatoes - cutting the potato into equal size chunks will make them cook at the same time. For the best mashed potatoes, use high-starch, floury variety because it'll break down easily during cooking, resulting in a fluffy and creamy texture. Avoid waxy potatoes because they don't mash well - the post details which potato varieties to use if you're unsure. Take care not overcook the potatoes because they will disintegrate in the water.
- Champ/mash - I've used champ in this recipe because I think it pairs well with the sausages and gravy. Just make a regular mash if you prefer by omitting the scallions.
- Champ post - I have a post about how to make champ if you want more information or hints about making it.
